Street Urchins
by Doltacrasur
Summary: Jee likes to visit Inkopolis. A lot. Mostly because her friend is there, but also mostly because she thinks he can't take care of himself. "He doesn't really do much other than sit there and do clothes or weapons stuff or something."
1. A Year Ago

"Hi Spyke." The purple-tentacled inkling said, greeting the sea urchin as she sat next to him. "More problems at home, love?" he asked, not turning his attention away from the snail shell he was turning over and over in his hands. "Yeah." Replied the inkling, taking a sandwich out of her bag. "You want this, Spyke?" she asked, holding the messily made sandwich out to him. "…'Aight."

 ** _A Year Ago…_**

Jee was a twelve-year-old inkling with her tentacles usually colored purple. She lived by Inkopolis, but she was always willing to help for a bit of spare change so she could travel to the city. She grabbed her wallet, apiece of cloth taped and stapled all over so it would keep together and walked out the door. She had a backpack on her back, and she concentrated mostly on keeping in semi-kid form as she walked to the train station. The middle aged inkling at the ticket booth smiled at her as she paid for her ticket to Inkopolis. "Are you going to see Callie and Marie's news studio?" he asked, passing her the slip of paper. Not knowing what to say, Jee nodded and ran off towards the train.

" **Inkopolis Station!** " blared the speaker as all the kids around Jee got up. The semi-formed squid kid hopped off the train, walking onto the launch pad everyone was using to get to Inkopolis' plaza. She squinted as she concentrated on becoming a squid, a squeak of joy escaping her as the small squid collapsed onto the launch pad. "Fresh." She whispered as she landed. The city never ceased to amaze her. She changed back into sort of kid form and pulled her makeshift wallet out of her bag. " _I have enough to buy some juice and maybe a muffin…_ " she thought, staring in the direction of the café. Before she started walking, something caught her eye. Faint colors like a lightshow coming from an alleyway.

She continued staring, her head tilting slightly as she saw a pretty fresh looking inkling walking in. "If they're going in, it's probably safe…they don't look too much older than me…" she waddle-ran towards the alleyway, her short purple tentacles trailing behind her. As she reached the alleyway's entrance, she stopped to catch her breath and peeked in. The fresh inkling from earlier was chatting with someone that definitely wasn't an inkling. It had spiky black hair and was holding some sort of shell. As he talked to the inkling, he turned the shell around in his hand, reflecting light and colors off of it. Jee was interrupted from her thoughts as she heard the inkling call "By the way, Spyke, I can see the reflection from the snail shell. Tone it down a bit!" as he walked confidently towards the exit to the alleyway. Jee pressed herself against the wall, concentrating on not inking herself as the inkling passed. She sighed as he left and dipped into the alleyway, carefully tiptoeing in the shadows towards Spyke. "I can see you." He growled, putting the shell safely behind him before staring in her direction.

Jee squeaked, turning a bright red and covering her face. "Hey, don't be embarrassed." Spyke said in a gentler tone. "Why're you down here, love?" he asked as Jee walked closer. "I-I…um…saw the lighty-thing." She mumbled, looking down at her feet. He nodded, patting the ground next to him as if to say sit down. "You wanna try?" he asked, carefully passing the small inkling a shell. Jee's tentacles went back to their normal purple color as she tried not to drop it. She held it up to the sky, trying to catch the sunlight onto the shell.


	2. Business As Usual

**_Now._**

Jee counted what was in her wallet as Spyke ate the sandwich. "I'm turning fourteen soon. I think I'll be able to buy a Splattershot Junior by then…" she said, her legs crossed. Spyke nodded, petting a sea snail with one hand. "Spyke? Do you ever get up and walk around?" Jee asked suddenly, a bit worried. "…Yeah." The urchin replied, looking at the entrance to the alleyway as an orange inkling came in through the entrance. He elbowed the young inkling next to him, and she scrambled up behind the pile of sea snails to watch. "Wot'll it be, vet?" he asked the inkling girl as she approached. "Reroll on these shoes?" she asked. "And I told you to call me Inky, I don't like your weird nicknames." "Woteva you say, love." Spyke replied with a smile, taking the super sea snail from Inky and taking the shoes. Jee huffed with boredom, picking up one of the live snails from the pile. "You guys are so cute!" she whispered, lifting it up to her face. "Why're you so scared? I'm not gonna hurt you…" "Spyke? Who's that? Did you kidnap someone? Not fresh, man." Inky sighed.

"I came here by myself." Jee huffed. "I don't need anyone to bring me over!" "Calm down, love. We're not here to fight." Sighed Spyke, resting his head on his hand. "Spyke, don't kidnap kids." "I'm not." "Alright. See you later." Jee blushed like mad as Inky left. "Who does she think she is?! I can get to places all by myself, right Spyke?!" she yelled, looking back at him. "Spyke?" The sea urchin didn't seem to be paying attention, rubbing his eyes and struggling to keep his head up. "Do you sleep?" she asked him, not believing him when he said "Yeah, I do." "You know what? Tomorrow I'm coming over to make sure you sleep!" "Love, you're not sleeping in an alleyway." Groaned Spyke. "If it gets you to sleep, sure I will! Just you wait, tomorrow I'm coming over with a sleeping bag and everything!" Jee ran out of the alleyway, leaving Spyke staring off dazedly. "By the way, remember to sleep!" Jee shouted, running back out.

 **Heya, author here! First note: You might think the chapters are short, they're meant to be short. If you see any spelling errors or grammar mistakes, tell me! And, if you wanna, leave a review! It helps a lot. See ya!  
-Dolta**

 **EDIT: I just realized, this is way too short to be excused. There will be more next chapter. Lo siento, and goodbye!**


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